NBA Trade Deadline: What to Expect.

NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA Trade Deadline is less than two weeks away. February 23rd at 3 pm EST, all trades will be have to be finalized. With this being one of the most eventful deadlines in past years, TSJsports.com and I, Caeleb Oliver, have come together to give you the names you need to have and the teams you need to know.

Flickr/ via Matthew Raymond

Carmelo Anthony

This reminds me of elementary school when the teacher tells you to start with the easiest subject first, so here we go. Carmelo and Phil Jackson really have it in for each other. It’s nothing but rumors surrounding the two, rather it pertains to who gets fired or who gets traded.

The top contender to land Carmelo are the Los Angeles Clippers. I think they might just be the only team. The drama in New York has grown to such an extent even Charles Oakley has gotten tired of them. It would be a simple trade, Blake Griffin in exchange for Carmelo Anthony. That is all you can possibly give up if you are Doc Rivers. With Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, and Carmelo Anthony as a big three, Doc Rivers will have to take some notes out of Eric Spoelstra’s playbook.

Flickr/ via sports rageous

Jahlil Okafor

This one is new, but had to be expected. Both Okafor and Noel have had their fair share of time out the lineup due to injury. So it is expected that one of them will have to go to make room for possible Rookie of the Year Joel Embiid. Rumors have him going to Chicago, which would give them more hope then they have now. With a past prime Rondo and old Dwayne Wade, the best they can do is make Jimmy Butler and Jahlil Okafor the hope for the future.

Mason Plumlee, Jimmy Butler, and Ricky Rubio

Mason Plumlee is no longer a rumor, but a done deal. As of today he has been traded to the Denver Nuggets. He was traded along with a second round pick and cash for Jusuf Nurkic and the Memphis Grizzles 1st round pick. Jimmy Butler is reportedly on the trading block, and the Timberwolves have reportedly offered Andrew Wiggins in exchange. Neither side has spoken out about how interested either of them are. I’m guessing it’s more likely to happen than not due to the conflict between Chicago’s big three.

Finally, Ricky Rubio, with the emergence of Kris Dunn Rubio isn’t really needed. The Cavaliers have reportedly found a bit of interest, or any point guard with two feet and ten fingers. I don’t think a trade for Rubio will go down, but most likely will at the end of the season. In my opinion, Rubio or Mario Chalmers are the only “play maker(s)” I can see the Cavaliers landing and LeBron liking.

After all, this is the most drama surrounding the trade deadline in quite a few years. Especially with how public relationships are, I could see most of these trades happening due to internal conflicts surrounding the organizations. Stay tuned for more updates as the trade deadline nears.